HARRISBURG, PA − November 14, 2018 − The entire leadership team of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus was reelected today to serve its membership for the 2019-20 legislative session.
The Senate Democratic Caucus won five new seats in the 2018 midterm elections and will have 21 members in the coming session. The new and returning members elected this Caucus Leadership Team:
- Leader – Jay Costa, Jr.
- Whip – Anthony Hardy Williams
- Appropriations Committee Chair – Vincent Hughes
- Chair – Wayne D. Fontana
- Secretary – Larry Farnese
- Policy Committee Chair – Lisa Boscola
- Administrator – John Blake
- Vice Chair, Appropriations Committee – Judy Schwank
“It has been an honor to serve as the Leader of this caucus, and I am again honored that my colleagues have trusted me with this responsibility for another session,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. “We have a dynamic, passionate caucus and I know this leadership team will serve them well. I look forward to swearing in our new and returning members this January, and then getting to work.”
PITTSBURGH, November 14, 2018 − Today, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. announced the award of nearly $700,000 in grants for community conservation projects in the 43rd Senatorial District.
“These grants are a worthwhile investment to protect our natural resources, and one that requires partnership between the state and local entities,” said Senator Costa. “These grants will go a long way to helping local governments and nonprofits take care of our parks, and develop new places for recreation, conservation and greenways.”
These grants are part of the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (CCPP), administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and were instituted to provide financial and technical assistance to local governments, river and trail organizations, land trusts and other nonprofits in their conservation work.
The entities receiving awards in Senator Costa’s district include:
- $32,500 for Chatham University to prepare a Master Site Development Plan
- $160,000 for Pennsylvania Environmental Council to prepare a riverfront plan for the 178 acre Hazelwood Green site
- $250,000 for the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to rehabilitate and further development Schenley Park
- $250,000 for the Sports and Exhibition Authority to develop I-579 Cap Park to construct pedestrian walkways, event lawn, and amphitheater
Funding for these grants comes from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (Key 93), the Environmental Stewardship Fund (Growing Greener 1) and several federal funding sources.
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The Squirrel Hill community of Pittsburgh suffered an act of unspeakable violence today. A gunman entered the Tree of Life Synagogue during Shabbat services, murdering and wounding people at prayer.
I went to the Tree of Life Synagogue this morning and spoke with Jeff Finkelstein, the president of the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, and offered to help in any way that I can.
Gun violence anywhere is devastating, but to attack people in their place of worship is deeply horrific. We do not yet know the shooter’s motivations, but we do know that our Jewish friends and neighbors, and all of Pittsburgh, is in pain today.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and our entire Jewish community.
Pittsburgh, Pa. − October 30, 2018 − Sen. Jay Costa (D- Allegheny County) today announced that $150,000 in School Safety and Security grants were awarded to school districts in the 43rd district through the School Safety and Security Committee within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
“We must confront the epidemic of gun violence with a comprehensive strategy. These safety grants are one important piece of that strategy,” said Senator Costa. “We’ve seen too many tragedies in our schools, and I believe these grants can help prevent future ones.
Each school district received a $25,000 grant allocation:
- Penn Hills School District
- Pittsburgh School District
- Riverview School District
- Steel Valley School District
- Wilkinsburg Borough School District
- Woodland Hills School District
After Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 44 into law in June of 2018, the School Safety and Security Committee was established. The Committee develops the criteria schools use when performing school safety and security assessments, issues surveys that allow schools to measure their safety and security preparedness and administers grants to schools to improve safety and security.
The Committee established criteria for conducting a security assessment, which is a strategic evaluation of a school’s facilities and programs used to identify potential safety and security threats. Assessments include consideration of the safety and security of a school’s physical environment, climate and behavioral health environment, and related school safety policies and trainings.
Across Pennsylvania, a total of $52.5 million has been allocated to the School Safety and Security Grant Program for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
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HARRISBURG, October 17, 2018 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. released the following statement on what transpired tonight on the legislation regarding the grand jury recommendations on child sex abuse:
Since first reading its report, I have been a supporter of the four recommendations of the Grand Jury on church sex abuse. The Pennsylvania House, the Attorney General, the Governor and victim advocates also supported these recommendations – but unfortunately, the bill containing these recommendations was not considered by the Senate and our legislative session ended tonight.
None of those recommendations will be enacted for the many victims of child sex abuse this year, and that is unconscionable.
I would urge the victims who are disappointed today to not lose hope yet. My Senate Democratic colleagues and I are going to keep fighting for you to get justice, and you have many advocates in the Capitol that won’t give up either.
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HARRISBURG, October 17, 2018 – State Senators Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny), Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny) today announced $49 million in state funds to replace 28,000 residential lead lateral connections in Pittsburgh.
“I am pleased that state dollars will be used to fund and expedite this important lead lateral and service line replacement work,” Fontana said. “This is a public health issue and needs dealt with as quickly as possible.”
“Access to clean water should be guaranteed to every citizen of the Commonwealth,” Costa said. “This grant will go a long way in fulfilling that need in the City of Pittsburgh.”
“This is an important project for our area,” said Sen. Vulakovich. “By replacing these lead service lines, it will substantially increase the reliability of safe drinking water for our residents.”
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) will receive $13.6 million in grant dollars and the other $35.4 million through a 1 percent low-interest loan. The funds were awarded today at the PENNVEST (Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority) board meeting in Harrisburg.
The line replacement work will take part in various parts of Pittsburgh based on density of young children, documented higher blood-lead levels and concentration of antiquated lead water lines. Anticipated replacements are slated for Morningside, Homewood, Perry, Mt. Washington, Southside and Greenfield neighborhoods. The project is expected to impact 7,000 people.
In recent years, Pittsburgh has struggled to replace old and decaying lead water lines, which have exceeded maximum health contaminant standards. The state Department of Environmental Protection issued a consent order last November calling for the laterals and service line replacement.
PWSA estimates that about 25 percent of the city’s water lines are made of lead. By 2022, it plans to inspect all 81,000 water lines and compile a database that identifies where the lead lines are.
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